Acupuncture & IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)

Using acupuncture to increase your odds (from 20% to 40%) of getting pregnant with IVF.

I often get calls from women who are in the midst of an IVF cycle, asking “I’m doing IVF and I heard that acupuncture can increase my odds of getting pregnant, is that true?” The short answer is, yes, it is possible for acupuncture to improve your odds of success with IVF (read about the 2002 German study). The long answer is that you are a unique individual, with a unique reproductive and gynecological history, and whether or not acupuncture can help you is dependent on several factors including your age, gynecological and overall health, your lifestyle, your diet and your genetic makeup.

Typically, I advise women to begin treatment a few weeks or months before the current/next IVF cycle begins. I believe this allows enough time for acupuncture, Chinese herbs and other treatment modalities (Mayan abdominal massage, chiropractic, etc.) to regulate the menstrual cycle, resolve lingering gynecological disorders that may be blocking conception and address imbalances that may be contributing to recurrent miscarriage.

Most women also want to know how acupuncture can help improve their odds with IVF. While treatment is different for each woman, it is believed that acupuncture may be able to help improve ovarian function by increasing blood flow to the ovaries, may help reduce stress and anxiety by triggering the body’s relaxation response and may help reduce the negative side effects of fertility drugs, all improving your odds of becoming pregnant.

Julie and Abby at New England Family Acupuncture make me feel welcome and comfortable each and every time I visit. I look thoroughly forward to my treatments. It's an essential component of my self-care. Acupuncture Continue Reading

I've long known of the 6000 years Acupuncture has been successfully practiced in Asia. Along with human healing, Acupuncture has been a proven pain reliever in animals. I don't know why it took me so Continue Reading